It’s a GIRL for Jaya and Hasu-Hasu!

Date: 05 Mar 2015

In October 2014, we announced the arrival of a Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo, the first to be born in the UK and Ireland.

The joey remained in Jaya’s pouch for the first few months and, after months of patiently waiting, keepers finally got the chance to get a closer look at the infant. The joey is a girl and has been named ‘Yingwie’. The name, which means ‘first born’, derives from Papua New Guinea where Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos originate from.

Belfast Zoo manager, Mark Challis, said, “Yingwie has certainly become more adventurous over the last few months. She now spends the majority of her time out of the pouch, investigating her surroundings. The birth of Yingwie is incredibly significant, as Belfast Zoo is home to the only Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The population of Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo has dramatically declined in the last 30 years due to the habitat destructions and hunting. We are therefore delighted to be leading the way for the conservation and preservation of this endangered species.”

Belfast Zoo supports the conservation of tree kangaroo in Papua New Guinea.